Thursday, October 22

SGF Babachir may be sanctioned over careless thanksgiving statement

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir David Lawal, has come under fire from Presidency over a provocative claim he made during a thanksgiving service in Abuja last Saturday.

Lawal, who assembled top party and Christian leaders for a thanksgiving service in Abuja had paid glowing tribute to the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and the former Acting National Chairman, Bisi Akande, as being responsible for his nomination to Buhari for appointment as the SGF.

He also said that his choice as a Christian would not have been possible if the nomination had been left to Northern leaders to make.

At the event attended by the Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo, Lawal said: “I am Secretary to the Government today, because those people-Tinubu and Akande- that I mentioned were the very first to put the idea in the mind of the President.

“They were the ones that made it possible because if it has been left to northerners, it is doubtful if they will take a Christian man to make Secretary to the Government of the Federation”.

But competent sources said that barely two days after Lawal had made the remark, angry leading Muslim leaders and northern elite, who felt insulted by his claim, stormed the Presidential Villa and complained to President Muhammadu Buhari and asked to discipline the SGF for being careless with his speech.